- Explored the history of lavender and its uses.
- Learned about different types of lavender and how to grow them.
- Snacked on goodies made from lavender, like lavender lemonade and shortbread.
- Made a lavender wand.
- Took home a lavender sachet and lavender plant.
We hope you will join us for a relaxing time, while making new friends and learning all about this rejuvenating herb. This year, the Lavender Committee will be giving away lavender eye pillows instead of sachets.
Where: Stanislaus County Agricultural Center, Harvest Hall rooms AB&C, 3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, 95358.
When: Saturday, June 24 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $30
Note: 30 spaces available
Questions? (209) 525-6862
Sign up online: https://ucanr.edu/lavender/2023
Master Gardener Instructors: Nancy Robinson, Heidi Aufdermaur, Bonnie Jones-Lee, Connie Gardener, and Janet Wickstrom.
If you cannot afford to pay full price for this workshop, please contact Anne at (209) 525-6862 or aschellman@ucanr.edu for a partial scholarship (while supplies last).
*lavender wands can be placed in clothes drawers or cabinets to release a fresh scent and may last for years. Or keep your wand near your desk and inhale its relaxing fragrance when needed.
- Author: Anne E Schellman
We are excited to announce our program's THIRD online class is now available on our new YouTube Channel! Please watch the video and subscribe to our channel.
Herb Gardening was recorded on June 30,2020. Our speakers' included two very talented Stanislaus County Master Gardeners, Terry Pellegrini and Rho Yare. The class offered fun insights on growing and using herbs in the garden, with some fun tips for how to use them, and a word from our local Stanislaus County library on herb books you can check out.
To get a free copy of our Herbs in Your Garden publication, please visit our publications page where you can find this and many more free publications for download. http://cestanislaus.ucanr.edu/Gardening_Publications/
Imagine yourself walking out to your garden or patio and being greeted by a spicy fragrance. All around you are pots and containers filled with culinary herbs such as fresh thyme, oregano, and basil. You reach down and take a snip or two of these fresh herbs and wander back into your kitchen to add them to the pot simmering on the stove. Sounds fabulous, doesn't it?
I can't think of anything more rewarding than growing your own culinary herbs. When I started gardening, these were the first plants that I placed in my yard, my first “babies” so to speak. Since then I have tried growing many different varieties of culinary herbs, in both containers and in the soil. Some with more success than others. But each one has been a joy to grow.
There are a wide variety of culinary herbs. Thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and marjoram are used a great deal in cooking. Others, such as French tarragon, savory (summer and winter), and lavender have been relegated to the back of the herb and spice shelf. Nearly all are easy to grow, usually perennial in nature, and are readily found in most garden centers.
Once established, most herbs adapt easily to containers and small spaces, use low water, and are both heat and cold hardy. Some herbs, such as sage, don't mind poor soil and seem to thrive in it. Chives, on the other hand, like soil to be rich and soft with plenty of drainage. Always check the grower's information for plants that work well in your area. Choosing herbs that best suit your environment, climate, and space constraints will help guarantee their health and success.
When deciding whether to plant your herbs in containers or directly in your garden, you will need to be aware of their growing patterns and potential size. Herbs that are in the mint family, such as oregano and marjoram, can get quite large and spread quite rapidly in a garden environment. If you have lots of room, great. But they will begin to compete with less hardy varieties after the first season. I've found that growing culinary herbs in containers saves me a lot of time and frustration down the road.
In pots or containers, gardens and raised beds, culinary herbs are a definite must for both the beginner and expert gardener. Their beauty, fragrance, and flavors will grace your garden, as well as your kitchen, more many years to come.
Happy gardening!
Terry Pellegrini will graduate from the 2020 Master Gardener Program, congrats!
Please join Terry and Rho Yare for our next virtual gardening class in partnership with the Stanislaus County Library.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Zoom. Sign up at http://ucanr.edu/virtualherbs/2020
You say "Herbs, I say "Erbs," but they all are fun and delicious!
Please join our Stanislaus County Master Gardeners Rho Yare and Terry Pellegrini online for a fun evening learning about the wonderful world of culinary herbs, including:
-Which herbs grow best in the Central Valley of California
-How to plant and care for herbs
-What herb plants need to thrive
-How to make tea
-Harvest and storage methods
-Rho and Terry's favorite tips for using herbs
-Library books you can download free from our local library!
There will be time for questions along the way, so be sure to type yours in the Q&A box. Also, get ready for some fun polls to ask about how you use herbs!
Our program is excited to present this interactive webinar. We hope to "see" you online and introduce you to the wonderful world of herbs!
When: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Where: on Zoom.
How: sign up to receive the link by email at: http://ucanr.edu/virtualherbs/2020
Please sign up to receive the link by June 30, 2020 at 4 p.m.
If you don't have Zoom or have to miss the class, watch it later on our Stanislaus County UCCE Master Gardener YouTube Channel!
- Author: Anne E Schellman
The UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener Program started in late 2018, and since then we've taught in-person and now online classes on topics like water conservation, growing herbs or vegetables, pollinator gardening, composting with worms, and many others. We hope these classes inspired you to save water, use plants to attract pollinators, and grow healthy food.
As of July, our program has taught 55 people how to become volunteers! Perhaps you've met one of our Master Gardeners at a local farmers market, the Stanislaus County fair, or other outdoor event. You may have spoken to them when you called, emailed, or visited our help desk with a question. We strive to answer your gardening and pest management questions with University research-based solutions in a timely and friendly manner.
Has our program helped you solve a pest management problem, provided you with information on helpful topics through classes, or answered your gardening questions through email or a phone conversation?
If so, we hope you will consider donating on Big Dig Day on June 5, 2020. Your donation goes directly to support our local program.
To donate, visit https://ucanr.blackbaud-sites.com/MasterGardener and scroll to the bottom of the page to select the Stanislaus County Master Gardener Program. You can donate anytime. The campaign ends June 5 at midnight.
We thank you in advance for your support!